Kolkata, Aug. 28 -- Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee on Friday said her party would "return to power very soon" in Bengal, accusing the BJP government of using the police to carry out its political work across the state. She was addressing the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) Foundation Day programme on Cathedral Road, where a large number of supporters gathered.
Banerjee said she would fight the alleged use of police for political purposes both legally and democratically. "Today, on Raksha Bandhan, I vow that next we will move courts against the atrocities of West Bengal Police unleashed across the state. Will put an end to this."
She also announced that she would soon begin touring the districts. "The BJP has no organisation. It is making the police do its work across Bengal," she said.
TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee also launched a sharp attack on the BJP, daring it to deploy the ED, CBI, Kolkata Police, West Bengal Police, STF and CID against him. "Until I am dead, I am not defeated," he said, asserting that his head would not bow.
The meeting was attended by several senior TMC leaders, including Kalyan Banerjee, Kunal Ghosh, Mahua Moitra, Ashok Deb as well as young leaders like Upasana Chowdhury, Priyanka Adhikary and others also took prominent roles.
Kalyan Banerjee targeted the 20 MPs who had broken away from the TMC, saying he would ensure their disqualification and force fresh elections to those seats within a year. Mamata also referred to the "gaddar MPs" and said their disqualification is "a matter of time".
Mamata Banerjee also accused the Election Commission of being used to "hijack" the elections and alleged that votes were "looted in the name of SIR". She further condemned the police action at the TMC office on Camac Street and rejected allegations that she had taken books from the Assembly library.
The TMC chief invited 10 hawkers onto the stage, alleging that they had faced harassment and lost their livelihoods during an eviction drive. TMCP members tied rakhis on their wrists and provided them financial assistance.
Meanwhile, Kunal Ghosh took a swipe at the rival Ritabrata Banerjee faction, saying it could not even fill the chairs at its Foundation Day programme.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.